Chapter 9
Breaking News
For the next Water God, I choose you. Son of Connor.
Ever since I heard those words from a deep raspy voice that sounded like an they came from an overaged lizard, a tattoo appeared on my left hand. With it, came the ability to fabricate and manipulate water at will without having to use mana. I had no proof or basis on my theory, I just knew it as a fact instinctively.
I never questioned it even once. I didn't tell anyone about it either, nor did I plan to. The only other person who knew was my sister but that's because she was there when I got engraved with the tattoo. My own mother didn't know about it, that said she didn't look all that surprised by it.
She and Ginevra came back from the church with heavy looks on their faces. This happened after my fight with Reiya. Mary called me inside the house without saying anything else and I followed her quietly. We sat at the kitchen table which somehow managed to establish itself as the most obvious place to meet when we were having a family meeting.
Mary sat directly across from me, pulling my left hand closer to her to examine it. More specifically to examine the four pointed star that marked it. After a long, silent stare, she rushed to her room and came back with a sizable book in tow. Ginevra's eyes widened at the sight of the book leading me to believe that at the very least she knew something about the book that I didn't. The book itself didn't look special.
If anything it was as bleak as bleak gets, the only thing it had going for it was it's size. She set the book down on the table and paged through it slowly, studying each page diligently. She came to a halt around halfway through the book, on a page that looked like it had an illustration of a tree on it, I couldn't tell from my angle.
Her face clouded over the longer she stared at it. Sweat started dropping off her face.
"Eden..." she said finally.
"Yes mother..."
"You didn't ....eat any blue rocks recently, did you dear?"
The hell kind of question is that?
I struggled to comprehend the nature of her question. Why she'd ask that of all things was beyond me. I turned to Ginevra in hopes that she'd drop some kind of hint. Her face betrayed no emotion, a poker face was the only thing I could see from her.
With no other option I decided to answer truthfully. "No mother. I haven't."
"Phew. Thank goodness." Mary sighed in relief. Her expression once again turned serious, "Do you know of a man named Maxwell Agrabath?"
Maxwell Agrabath...
The name itself sounded familiar. I couldn't place where I'd hear it before but I did know that I'd read the name somewhere. In a story book if I wasn't mistaken.
"I think so..."
Mary nodded to herself in affirmation. "What do you know about him?"
"I only know the name.... sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? Nevermind." Mary cleared her throat to prepare for a long speech. "Maxwell Agrabath is in a sense, your predecessor. He's the first Water God."
A children's tale about a man who raised a dragon and stopped a great evil all by himself. A guy who created an entire nation with nothing but his own strength, that was where I read the name Maxwell Agrabath. My memory about the story was foggy, since I haven't read the story since I was a toddler, so I struggled to recount any significant details.
"It was around four hundred years or so ago." Mary continued. "That was when the first Water God was chosen, and it was Maxwell. The church has very few records of his story, most of them were lost during the Black Disaster. However, his tale has been passed on from Pope to Pope, and each Pope passed the tale on to his bishops amongst other things. The church even went as far as writing children's novels about him."
That confirmed it, I really did read about the guy in a kiddies book. But I still wondered if his story was really as legendary as Mary suggested.
"If you would sister Mary." Ginevra interjected.
"I got side-tracked. Back on topic, long story short Maxwell Agrabath is a well known figure around the Compass Continent and quite possibly the world. There are a lot of different stories about him, each one differing in it's own way but the one thing they all have in common." She grabbed my left hand tightly. "Is the mark that's on your left hand. A mark of an Elemental God."
My eyes darted towards the mark in question. I'd never really paid attention to it before, nor did I make any attempt to hide it.
"I understand." I couldn't form any kind of response so in the end that was all I had to say on the matter.
"You don't look surprised…."
Well duh, I've had this mark since I was four.
"No, it's not that. It's just, I kinda already….. No actually can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can. Ask away."
"What's an Elemental God?"
Ginevra called me an 'Elemental God' when we first met and though it shames me to admit, I have no idea what an Elemental God is or what they do.
Mary snickered slightly before paging through her book and stopping near the front page. "Wind, water, earth, fire, lightning, shadow and light. All in all there are seven types of elements each one categorised by strength from one through seven with seventh generation being the strongest spell one can cast."
She continued to give me a tutorial about how each element has it's own sets of rules like how shadow magic can't be used by angels or how light magic can't be used by demons. She then went on to explain how each element is further divided into seven ranks or more commonly referred to as generation. First generation magic is basically the weakest and easiest spell, anyone can cast.
The difficultly of each spell increases the higher the magic's generation and by extension the mana required to cast also increases. Elemental Gods are an exception. They can cast spells from first to seventh generation of their respective element without having to use mana. I already knew all this but I let Mary continue regardless.
"In total there are four Elemental Gods. One for fire, earth, wind and water. There hasn't been a god of lightning, shadow or light."
"Really? Why?"
"Nobody knows for certain. The creatures that hold dominion over those elements are unknown."
Now that just makes me wanna ask more questions!
Mary was speed feeding me pills one after another without giving me a chance to swallow them. Nevertheless I continued listening intently.
"Regardless." She continued. "As an Elemental God- more specifically, as the Water God, you have the ability to use water spells from first to seventh generation without having to use mana. Amazing isn't it?" Mary beamed.
Judging by how she was acting I surmised that she didn't know that I knew almost everything she just told me. I decided to act surprised for now so not to rouse suspicion.
"Yeah. Cool."
My body begged me to get some rest after the long day I just had but I still wanted to know, to ask one final question before hitting the sack.
"Who are the other Elemental Gods?"
Ginevra and Mary turned their heads quizzically. Ginevra answered first before Mary. "As a knight, my knowledge about these types of things is limited but if I'm not mistaken the current Fire God is a man named Norman King."
"That's right. He's been the Fire God for almost six decades now!" Mary added.
My lips moved on their own, letting the words flow out of my mouth without my permission. "Isn't his last name 'Nkosi'?"
Ginevra raised her eyebrow in confusion, Mary turned to me in shock. Not the "Jump out your seat and shout" kind of shock but the subtle, eyes widening in awe, shock. She collected herself with great haste. "I'm shocked. I never knew you could speak the Fire God's native tongue."
"What do you mean?" Ginevra inquired.
"The Fire God's last name, in his native tongue it is pronounced as 'Nkosi' but translated to English it becomes 'King'" Mary explained.
"Oh I see now. I never knew you were so knowledgeable in foreign languages."
"I picked up a few tips here and there. But I'm surprised you know their language sweetie." Mary turned to me as she said that.
I realised that Mary was staring at me, with a serene smile on her face. At a glance I could see a hint of silent pride in her smile. Ginevra stood up from her seat and prepared herself to leave.
"Then I shall excuse myself. I must report today's incident to the king."
With that Ginevra took her leave, leaving me and Mary alone in the kitchen. The atmosphere took a slight shift as Ginevra left.
"I heard you saved Ginevra's life today..." she said coldly.
Her icy words pierced my chest with impeccable sharpness. "Did Miss Brine tell you?"
"She did. She also said that if it wasn't for you then she and Kai would've died today."
"R-really?"
She was saying words of praise. Words that parents would normally tell their children whenever they wanted to encourage them or show them how proud they were. She was saying these words with absolutely no warmth in her voice.
"But I can't help but wonder. How exactly did you save her? If I'm not mistaken Ginevra was in Plaas investigating a recent attack on that village correct? What could've possibly driven you to travel all the way to that village, outside the capital without telling me?"
A demon. My mother who's a nun looked like a Hell demon right now. At this very moment, if she were to somehow be sent to Hell, she'd burn the whole place down.
I could just tell her that Ginevra dragged me there but I couldn't just outright sell her out like that. Mom seems oblivious about my little escapade in the royal palace, which means that Ginevra didn't tattle on me so at the very least I owe it to her to not tattle. Just this once!
I bowed my head deeply. "I snuck outside the capital to test out my powers but ended up in Plaas before realising it! I'm sorry!"
"You snuck out of the capital, travelled to a village that's a five hour walk, just to test your powers?"
An incredibly dumb excuse but I had nothing else prepared so I had to fly with it.
"Yes ma'am"
"Sigh ...honestly. How stupid do you think I am young man?"
The atmosphere thickened with intense fog of mysterious origin. Anyone could tell at a glance that the fog would freeze anyone who dared to come near it but despite that I didn't feel cold, at least not physically. Emotionally and mentally, I was freezing.
I decided to plead my case further. "I really am sorry."
"You can think about how sorry you are for the next month. Inside the house."
"Wait you don't mean..."
"I do. I forbid you from going outside for thirty days."
She was all cheery eyed just seconds ago but did a complete 180 the second Ginevra went through the front door. My heart yelled in frustration and so did I.
"That's not fair!" I protested.
Mary narrowed her eyes, fixing an intense glare directly at me. "Be glad it's only for one month."
"But why!?"
"Why?" she echoed. "Eden, you ventured outside the capital without notifying me or your sister, and to top it off you came back way past sunset."
"That's because... I did tell Lucy that I was heading out!"
"You told her that you planned to go outside the capital then? Or did you lie to her and say your going on a date with Reiya?"
"Well I…."
Now that she mentioned it I never really told Lucy where I was going. I only told her that I was going outside. She must've assumed that I decided to go ahead with my date with Reiya, since I didn't come back immediately after going out. It was a misunderstanding on both sides and my poor communication didn't help anything.
"Do you have any idea how worried she was when she came to find me at the church?" Mary asked in frustration.
I could only imagine. Lucy had always been a worrywart, especially since that night seven years ago. I could envision her waiting for me to come back home. The sun setting steadily, Lucy cheering happily alone in the kitchen, waiting for her precious little brother to come back. Hours continued ticking by, the sun fully setting and Eden being nowhere to be found.
Of course she could've waited for a little while thinking I'd be back if she just waited a little longer. Fooling herself into believing that I was having the time of my life with Reiya. The shock she must've felt when Reiya came looking for me.
"I never realised-….."
"Of course you didn't, you're a child."
I'm so sick of that line!!!
"I'M NOT A CHILD!"
I was appalled at the audacity I had, shouting the way I did at the woman who raised me. Mary's eyes widened in shock. One of the room doors suddenly burst open, it was Lucy's room and the girl herself stood at the door with a worried expression on her face.
"Guys, what's happening?"
"Fancy yourself an adult now do you?" Mary retorted.
Her words hung in the air like a challenge. A declaration of war in fact. Her blue eyes, which were the same colour as my own, seemed devoid of any emotion. Like cold pools of ice. But I refused to back down.
"While I admit that I may be young, I'm anything but a child."
"Says the eleven year old boy covered in mud." She snapped.
"That's only because of a battle I had with a monster. I wasn't playing around with mud."
"Monster? Lucy murmured.
"Mon-….. Eden, what happened in Plaas?"
Probably shouldn't have said that.
I kept digging myself deeper and deeper into a hole that would later be impossible to crawl out of.
"Eden!"
"Nothing happened. We just got attacked by a monster while investigating the village."
"You said that you just happened to stumble upon them while testing out your powers."
"That's right. I was testing out my powers and coincidentally stumbled on Miss Brine and the others while they were investigating the village."
Mary's gaze turned sceptical. "Was this before or after five knights got killed by the monster?"
"It was...after."
"Eddy...." Lucy said in a low tone.
"Unbelievable. Two months!" Mary declared.
"What the-…..I saved Ginevra and Kai didn't I?"
"How do you not realise how incredibly dangerous that was!? Five knights died, Eden! Five! What would've happened if you had died too!?"
It scared me just how real that question felt. I was minutes away from dying today, and I would've if Ginevra hadn't jumped in to save me at the last second. My hands started shaking slightly as the memories flashed across my mind.
"But the fact is I didn't die. That's all that matters."
"How dare you!" Mary's voice rose, her face red with anger. "You're grounded for two months, and that's final!"
"That's not fair!" I shouted back with my fists clenched.
"Was it fair to worry your sister half to death!? Well!?"
My gaze turned to Lucy who flinched slightly when I looked at her.
"I never asked her to worry about me! I can take care of myself!"
"Haa." Mary snickered. "I clothe you, feed you and put a roof over your head. You seem to be taking great care of yourself alright. Grow up already."
I clenched my teeth bitterly. "...….."
Somewhere along the line I lost whatever point I was trying to prove to Mary. The point that I wasn't a child. Despite my constant emphasis on not being a child I found myself acting like one all the time, depending on other people for my own survival. Mary was right. I am a child, and that fact wouldn't change as long as I continued living under my mother's roof.
With my mind made up I stormed towards the bedroom I shared with Mary. Lucy and Mary turned to each other curiously as I walked into the room and crouched under the bed. I stretched my hand underneath and it emerged with a sizeable pouch chock full of silver coins. It was the money I'd saved up to buy my sister the most expensive gift she could want to celebrate her coming of age.
It was a lot considering how much time I spent working for old man Luck at the Moonlight Storefront.
Well that's a first. I actually remembered the store's name.
Mary walked into the room with Lucy in tow.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm moving out." I snapped.
Lucy rushed into the room to shield the dresser's doors with her body. "I'm not letting you go."
"Please move."
She shook her head furiously. "No. You're not leaving."
"Fine. I need new clothes anyway."
I ignored Lucy's futile attempts to stop me and headed straight for the bedroom door where Mary was waiting with her hands folded beneath her chest.
"You're sure about this?" she asked, glaring all the while.
"You said so yourself. I need to grow up. I can't do that as long as I'm still staying here with you two."
"I see." Mary shifted to the side allowing me to pass with no issues. She put up less resistance then I expected and I appreciated that.
"Edd-…Eden!!" Lucy shouted. "Mom, stop him!!"
The cracking in Lucy's voice became harder and harder to ignore. I felt it deep down that if I turned my head around I would waver. I was sure that the sight of Lucy's teary eyes would cause me to second guess my decision if not stop me completely.
I grabbed the handle of the front door, letting my sister's desperate wails fall on my ears. Without looking back, I walked out on both my mother and sister, officially declaring to myself that this moment was the start of a new chapter.
I wandered the streets aimlessly, feeling the cold breeze on my skin. The vacant streets felt hollow and quiet, the only thing audible was the sound of coins jostling around in my pouch. I decided to open it to make sure I got the right one. Going back to get it would be humiliating at the very least with how dramatic my exit was. Of course I could just push through without any money but that would prove too much of a challenge.
Inside the pouch was several silver coins just as I remembered. Alongside the coins was a piece of paper that was folded neatly into the pouch. I remembered the paper immediately, it was the letter I received from the oh so mysterious Eren Darksoken. I unfolded the paper and scanned the contents of the letter again.
The information still made zero sense to me, especially the parts where it felt like Eren was addressing me directly. It felt like it was written by someone who's known me longer than I've known myself. I once again folded the paper to stuff it into the bag then noticed that it had more written on the back of it. I then unfolded the letter and turned it over to read what was written on the back.
P.S
Your biological mother is still alive. She's in Weiss. Do what you will with that information.
Every neuron in my brain shut down completely as I read those words. The only reaction I could give was that of a confused caveman. The much loved and ever so comical...….
"Huh?"